Investment​

Current SituationNon-residential investment from the private sector (also known as the commercial sector) refers to capital expenditures on plants, equipment, and other assets used in the production of goods and services—this does not include investments in the residential sector, such as expenditures on home renovations, or investments from the government and non-profit organizations. Private sector investment is an important economic driver because it determines levels of labour productivity and labour demand. If New Brunswick is to boost its economy through the increased production and exportation of goods and services, it should aim to reverse the current negative trend and reach higher levels, such as those it has not seen since 2008. If possible, the province should achieve this by the year 2028. In 2008, non-residential private sector investment per capita in New Brunswick reached an all-time high of $4,434, after which it began to decline. In 2016, investment was 30% lower than in 2008, and it is possible that this negative trend will continue if steps are not taken to promote change.

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT We confirm that there are no known conflicts of interest associated with the BoostNB project. At this time, the funding for the project has been provided solely by the Vaughan Chair in Regional Economics. The author team is responsible for designing the project, analyzing and interpreting the data being presented, and drafting the content of the website.